Packaging Rage

You know the annoying plastic clamshell packaging that comes with so many of today’s consumer goods? The packaging that typically requires some combination of a razor, scissors, teeth, fingernails, an MIT degree, and way too much sweat, shouting, and cursing to open? The packaging that has drawn blood in my house on more than one occasion? The packaging that leaves the consumer angry at not only the plastic exterior, but every engineer that has ever worked on consumer packaging, the stores that want this packaging (mainly to deter theft), and even the product itself that all along has been so close, yet so far away, staring at you through the see-through packaging? Well, Amazon is trying to pressure manufacturers into getting rid of this packaging. And to this I say: Hallelujah!

The NY Times describes Amazon’s mission, which makes plenty of sense (Amazon ships stuff to customers, so there’s no concern about shoplifting), and yet which is very much in the early stages. Only something like 600 products sold by Amazon are sent to customers in easily-opened “frustration-free packaging.”